roarfebruary

MGM Marketing’s ROAR Page 1
P
MGM Dream
Rewards
Supervisor Jean
Brown (left) and
Exec. Director of
Hotel Operations
and Shared
Services Jason
Guyot (right) look
on as Marketing
Rep. Corey Sipe
(center) gives his
acceptance
speech at the
Jan. 19 PRIDE
Award Ceremony.
Photo by Jamal
Brooks.
MGM MARKETING’S THE ROAR:
MGM GRAND AT FOXWOODS DREAM REWARDS
AND CASINO HOST NEWSLETTER
February 2010
Volume 2, Issue 5
MGM Grand at Foxwoods Number One Cheerleader
By: Rachel Posillo
Who is this energetic, fashion forward, girls’ girl,
cheerleader that graces MGM Grand at Foxwoods? That is the
question that everyone is asking themselves and others. I
first saw Diana Skidmore, a MGM Casino host, at our pep rally
in the MGM Theater before opening day. She was dancing up
the aisles with gold and black pom poms cheering us all on.
Diana made a big impression on all of us new comers that
day. Tamra Foss, a Dream Rewards Marketing
Representative, avows “Diana’s clothes are always above and
beyond for her. Her outfits always fit her personality.” But
the persona for this competent host runs very deep.
Everyday for Ms. Skidmore is a show day. As Diana states
proudly “My favorite part of being a host is really taking care
of our patrons’ day in and day out. I enjoy making them feel
special.” Hosting events like the Chairman’s Gala for our one
thousand VIP players is something Diana was born to do. But
being a host is not always giving people what they want. “One
of the biggest challenges that comes with being a host is
being able to say ‘no’, but doing it nicely by turning a
negative into a positive,” smiles Diana. “It really helps to be
a multi-tasker and be able to handle problems, resolve them
PRIDE I continued on page 12
“It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Super Corey!”
By Jean Brown
Diana continued on page 8
Winning the PRIDE Award is no easy feat,
especially when you work with a group of competitive 5-
Star People who all want an opportunity to grab the brass
ring. But somehow in the midst of collecting lists of
International Holidays, translating “Have a Grand Day”
into seven different languages, following Mr. Magic
around Foxwoods for a photo-op and correcting the
spelling and grammar of The ROAR Newsletter, Corey
Sipe has managed to do exactly that.
“Applause, Applause” was the first sign to Mr.
(L-R) Leah Skidmore, MGM Casino Host, Chief
Fundraiser, and Head Coach Diana Skidmore,
Austin Skidmore and David Skidmore at the
South County 5K Special Olympics Road Race
this past year. More than $10,000 was raised
for Special Olympics. Photo Courtesy of Diana
Skidmore.
ShowsPromotions
Sipe that something was amiss as he walked past Panache
and Pandora while all Retail Employees lined the MGM
walkway clapping as he walked to the Dream Rewards
Booth. “What’s going on?” Mr. Sipe asked with that keen
journalistic instinct that is so ingrained. Standing close at
hand to witness the spectacle was MGM Dream Rewards
Assistant Manager William Flanagan who orchestrated the
Grand Magical Welcome. “Congratulations, you won the
PRIDE Award!!!” he said with an ‘I got you’ smile on his
Meet PRIDE Award Winner Corey Sipe, the Mild Mannered Man
NEW! Click on
underlined words and
press CTRL to jump to
that section!
MGM Casino Host Diana
Skidmore getting ready
for showtime! Photo
Courtesy of Diana
Skidmore.
(L-R) Service
Champion Tamra
Foss, Dream
Rewards Supervisor
Jean Brown, The
ROAR Editor-in-
Chief Corey Sipe,
November 2009
PRIDE Award Winner
William Flanagan,
and October 2009
PRIDE Award Winner
Walter Lee; pose for
a group photo
outside the MGM
Grand Theater.
Photo by Jamal
Brooks.
RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE
Celebrate the Wonder of Us All – Mother Earth!
Five Star Standard #9: Treat work like home,
keeping it clean, safe, and ENERGY EFFICIENT!
See pages 6, 9, 16!

The band Darik and the Funbags performed on
stage on New Year’s Eve at Foxwoods Hard Rock
Café. Photo by Corey Sipe.
Dream Rewards Supervisor Isaac Yates and his
girlfriend, Lauren Coonan, celebrate New Year’s
Eve at Hard Rock Café. Photo by Corey Sipe.
Many restaurants at Foxwoods and MGM Grand at Foxwoods featured
special menus to celebrate the New Year and New Decade while nightclubs
hosted celebrity DJ’s and live entertainment.
The Center Bar at MGM Grand at Foxwoods partied with DJ 007 from 7
p.m. to 3 a.m. playing R&B, Hip-Hop, top 40, and today’s music.
Guests received party favors and watched the ball drop in New York
City’s Times Square on the televisions.
Also at MGM, Shrine Nightclub celebrated between 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.,
by showcasing Miss Dakota Burlesque, an International Burlesque Dancer,
along with DJ JD. Customers enjoyed a midnight champagne toast.
Over at Foxwoods Great Cedar Casino, Scorpion Bar, which has the
same owners as Shrine, also rung in the New Year with Miss Dakota Burlesque
with a 1 a.m. show and guests enjoyed music by DJ Spring and a
complimentary champagne toast at midnight.
Both Shrine and Scorpion Bar featured professional dancers.
Next door to Scorpion Bar at The Club, DJ Bigg Premiere from New
York City played Hip Hop, R&B, and Old School Music and The Club dancers
showed off their moves from 8:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Guests received party favors upon entry and enjoyed watching the live
countdown from Times Square on television. The Club had balloons
celebrating the joyous New Year.
Over at the Grand Pequot Casino, The Halo Bar was decked out in New
Year’s fashion from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Customers received noisemakers and hats while they played slot
machines built into the bar as they waited for a midnight champagne toast.
The Paragon Restaurant hosted a private invite party on the 24th
floor
where 103 people had fun at the resort casino’s fanciest restaurant.
At the Rainmaker Casino, the Atrium Lounge hosted the band Front
and Center who played Top 40 music, R&B, and Motown.
Colorful balloons were placed throughout the lounge and guests
received party favors while crowds of people gathered along the hallway
watching the free entertainment and waiting to ring in the New Year.
Further down the concourse, Hard Rock Café hosted the band Darik
and The Funbags between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. and a champagne toast was held
at midnight after guests received party favors.
Others rung in the New Year where they root for the Boston Red Sox
or the New York Yankees at The Stadium Sports Bar which featured music and
dancing after 10 p.m. with a champagne toast at midnight.
The Grill Lounge, at the Two Trees Inn, with its New England charm,
gave out party favors and featured a champagne toast as well.
Restaurants featuring special New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
entrees included Al Dente, Cedars, Veranda Café, The Grill at Two Trees Inn,
David Burke Prime Steakhouse, Food Market, Shrine, and Junior’s Restaurant.
As folks partied into the wee hours of New Year’s Day, perhaps one of
the busiest restaurants was Fuddruckers.
MGM Marketing’s The ROAR
February 2010, Volume 2, Issue 5
Publisher: MGM Grand at Foxwoods
Associate Publishers: Roberta James Brown
Associate Publisher: William Flanagan
Newsletter Manager: Jean Brown
Newsletter Editor-in-Chief: Corey Sipe
Writers: Rachel Posillo, Corey Sipe, Jean Brown
For submissions e-mail csipe@foxwoods.com
Deadline: Fri., Feb. 19 at 3 p.m.
Restaurants and Nightclubs Help Ring in the New Year
By Corey Sipe
MGM Dream Rewards Marketing
Representative and ROAR Newsletter Editor-
in-Chief Corey Sipe enjoys a hot dog at a busy
Fuddruckers Restaurant in Foxwoods at 2 a.m.
on New Year’s Day. Photo by Isaac Yates.
Leo the Lion
celebrates the
New Year with a
festive hat.
Photo by Corey
Sipe.
Restaurants continued on page 8
2010
RECYCLE!!!
Don’t
forget to…

P
MGM Marketing’s ROAR
Behind-the-Scenes at the MGM Box Office
By Rachel Posillo
The summer of 2009 was the busiest
entertainment season of the past eighteen years as
Foxwoods maximized their entertainment efforts. On any
given night there can be lines of excited people snaking
around stanchions in front of the MGM Grand Box Office
waiting to see their favorite headline entertainment. As
Bruce Flax, the Director of Ticketing and Patron Services,
explains, “When the Box Office was originally built, we
knew we had challenges getting four thousand people
into the theater in a timely manner. There is not a lot of
space out there so we implemented print at home tickets
which allows the guest to bypass the Box Office
completely. This reduced the number of people we
needed to service on a show day. One of our biggest
challenges on show day is a large Casino Customer ticket
pick-up because they cannot get their tickets in advance
nor can they print their tickets at home.”
Demands on the Box Office Personnel began
testing their abilities to maintain the Five Star Service
Standards. Thus there was a need for change. “During
Cirque we had upwards of 1,500 Casino guests picking
their tickets up at the Box Office. This required us to
staff a full Box Office with all windows open for service,”
proclaims Bruce Flax. So managers and Bruce Flax sat
down with Senior VP of Casino Marketing, Joseph
Jimenez, to find out what they could do to resolve these
challenges. “Joe suggested working with Promotions on
the MGM side and cross train the Promotions Associates to
assist in the Box Office. This was a great idea as they
had CAMS experience and would require very little
training” avows Mr. Flax. Bruce Flax then sat down to
talk with William Flanagan, Assistant Manager of MGM
Dream Rewards, to have his team cross train in the MGM
Box Office. “Without Promotion Associate help we would
Congratulations to our One Million Dollar
“Drive in Style” Car and Cash Winners!
11/7 - Susan Reuter 11/14 - Jean Hart
11/28 - Jane Francis 12/5 - Clarice Goler-Scott
12/19 – Kyla Conroy 12/26 – Peter Fong
1/2 - Cyril Gordon
be unable to provide that full service. Their help allowed
us to provide the guest shorter wait times and a better
guest experience” Mr. Flax adds.
William Flanagan selected a few Dream Rewards
Representatives to begin cross training immediately at
the Box Office. Mr. Flanagan professes “I wanted my
team involved in cross training so they can have new
grand experiences, gain more knowledge of the Box
Office and foster teamwork among new co-workers.” As
Corey Sipe, a Dream Rewards Marketing Representative,
emphasizes “I learned the behind-the-scenes process of
selling tickets and looking at seat availability to help
customers obtain the best available seat in the house. We
are thankful to have two facilities built and designed for
the performing arts since this allows us to book even
more top-notch headline entertainment helping attract
our best players to make more return trips.”
Going to a new department to help out could be
challenging in itself but for the “Dream Team” there is no
such thing as a challenge. They show how multitalented
and flexible they really are to help out their fellow MGM
Team Members. “My colleagues and I are willing to learn
different tasks so we can help other departments. This is
how we, MGM Grand at Foxwoods, work as a team,”
declares Mr. Sipe. There is a positive reception from the
Box Office when help comes from their fellow team
members. “Staff members answered my questions and
were able to assist me whenever I needed help. They
showed their appreciation for us providing them help
during their busiest times,” asserts Corey.
Everyone knows that with events, big or small,
there needs to be a constant focus on every detail to
make sure that the operations run smoothly. With the big
“Titanic the Artifact Exhibition” coming up along with
“Thin Ice”, “Legends in Concert”, and many other shows
there will be a friend that lends his helping hand. With
teamwork in hand you all know that there will not be an
iceberg in the water that will be touched by our vessel.
We will not go down in history the same way that Titanic
did in 1912.
Fripperies, of Mystic,
CT, and 104.1 FM
WMRQ were two of the
vendors of the expo.
Photo by Bogdan
Magonski.
Bridal models showcase down a New
York-style runway at the expo while
those in attendance snapped photos.
Photos by Bogdan Magonski.
Legends
Limousines was a
vendor at the
Jammin’ 107.7 FM
Health, Beauty,
and Bridal Expo
held on Sunday,
Jan. 24 in the
MGM Premiere
Ballroom. Photo
by Bogdan
Magonski.
Enjoy the
Super Bowl
on Sun.,
Feb. 7!

PCelebrating New Year’s Eve in Style:
Invited Guests Enjoy Galas and Complimentary Show Tickets
On Dec. 30, the MGM Premiere Ballroom was decked in
silver and white accents and was ready for the New Year’s
Eve celebration. Photo by Corey Sipe.
Our best players experienced delicious food, wonderful
entertainment, overnight accommodations, and dancing as they
celebrated New Year’s Eve 2009/2010 at MGM Grand at
Foxwoods and at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Invited guests could choose to attend a gala at
Foxwoods Grand Pequot Tower’s Grand Ballroom or the MGM
Grand at Foxwoods Premiere Ballroom.
MGM Dream Rewards Marketing Representatives Rachel
Posillo, Tamra Foss, Walter Lee, Chanthavisuk "Nou" Singharaj
and Corey Sipe as well as Dream Rewards Supervisor Isaac Yates
and Dream Rewards Assistant Manager William Flanagan worked
at the registration desk in front of the Premiere Ballroom.
The registration desk opened at 12 p.m. on New Year’s
Eve and was staffed until the gala ended.
Gala doors opened at 9 p.m. with dinner being served
at 9:30 p.m. and the event ended after a 12 a.m. champagne
toast.
During that time, 1,613 guests registered at the desk.
Mr. Yates checked on the MGM Dream Rewards booth
and helped Marketing Representatives Zunilda Wright and John
Kenyon along with Dream Rewards Supervisor Jean Brown with
customers at the booth along with pit calls.
Earlier in the day, Dream Rewards Supervisor Bogdan
Magonski assisted customers at the booth.
Marketing Representative Edward Lowe was hard at
work in the MGM Grand Central Lounge where over 97 players
and their guests were checked in and enjoyed drinks and
sandwiches.
Gala guests were given wristbands for entry to the
event and tickets for brunch on New Year’s Day at the Grand
Ballroom with seating times from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Diamond Elite Cardholders had a special registration
area where Casino Hosts gave them seating tickets at a special
table close to the stage.
A separate registration desk was setup for Tribal
Members who also received special seating.
Prior to the event, cocktails were served in the
ballroom’s prefunction areas.
Those attending the event entered a room with
shimmering silver and white accents, contemporary table
treatments, cozy lounge groupings, fun bars, and an energetic
dance floor.
They enjoyed a full-course seated dinner with salad, an
entrée and dessert.
The salad consisted of red and yellow beet carpaccio,
petite green salad, and goat cheese croquette.
The main entrée included wild mushroom encrusted
tenderloin of beef with a truffle berouge sauce, cold
water lobster tail wrapped in shrimp with a citrus
herb gratin, horseradish and white cheddar mashed
potato, and a vegetable bundle.
The dessert consisted of a chocolate
bergamonte (citrus flavored) bar, sparkling raspberry
crème brulee, and tangerine honey sauce.
Entertainment of the evening was provided
by the Aion Clarke and the Heat Orchestra, a 10-
piece orchestra with Musical Director Terence Gowan
(lead singer of Styx) featuring Aion Clarke and Saida
Baba Talibah (popular up and coming soul artists).
The hand selected band also included a horn
section with Howard Moore, Christopher Plock, and
Alison White, Lead Guitarist Donna Grantis, Max
Roach on drums, Jen Benton on bass, Joanna
Borrowmed on keyboards, and Alex Macmaster on
cello.
The orchestra played music ranging from Ray
Charles and Marvin Gaye to Michael Jackson and
Prince.
After enjoying their meal, many couples left
their tables and went on the dance floor.
In addition to the entertainment, gala
invitees also received complimentary tickets to the
Hairspray Musical in the MGM Grand Theater or the
“Legends in Concert” Holiday Show in Fox Theater.
The gala at Foxwoods Grand Pequot Tower
Grand Ballroom had 1,139 invited guests.
By Corey Sipe
(Far left) Silver Happy New Year hats are left in chairs
waiting for customers at the MGM Premiere Ballroom while
(left) a sea of tables are already setup for the celrbration.
Photos by Corey Sipe.
Winter is Here!!! For the latest on property updates
and closings…
Call the MPTN Employee Hotline 1-866-502-8666 and
select Option #1

P
ROAR Newsletter 2009: Year in Review
Sept. 15, 2009 – 1st Issue; 20 pages long; 37 photos & images; 4 megabytes
Front page headlines were:
• New Five-Star Reward Program ● Five Star Service Standards
Other headlines included:
• Five Star PRIDE Award Launches: Winners Will Be Awarded Certificate and Cash
• My Adventure at the Deal or No Deal Audition ● Horoscopes
• Back in Time to the Last Game Show at Foxwoods: The Price is Right
• Foxwoods Makes Television Audition History ● September Group Business
• Adventures in Six Flags New England ● Adventures along the Jersey Shore
• Adventures in Las Vegas ● Adventures in China
• Adventures in Los Angeles ● MGM Wins AAA Four Diamond Award
• Flashback: Opening a Brand New Resort Casino ● Moments of Magic
• Standard and Procedure Spotlight: Reprinting a Gold Dream Rewards Card
• New DVD Rental Kiosk for Team Members
Oct. 14, 2009 – 2nd Issue; 8 pages long; 12 photos & images; 17 megabytes; First “Green” Issue
• Everyone’s A Winner at the Big E Spin-the Wheel ● They’re Famous and on TV!
• DVD Rental Kiosks Run By Family Business ● A Grand Birthday
• MGM and Fox Theater Shows and Special Events ● Big E Photos
Nov. 12, 2009 – 3rd Issue; 14 pages long; 26 photos & images; 61 megabytes
• Betty Lehto; Our First Host Honored with PRIDE Award
• Marketing Representative Walter Lee Wins PRIDE Award
• Adventures in Halloween Fun
• Magical Adventures in Walt Disney World in Florida
• CCTV Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto ● A New Look for MGM Dream Rewards
• Big E: By The Numbers ● Adventures in Winning Big at the MGM Grand!
• It’s All Smiles at MGM Dream Rewards ● A Fall Adventure to Mount Greylock in Mass.
• Celebrating Our Diversity at Foxwoods ● Come on Down for the Price is Right
• First $1,000,000 “Drive-in-Style” Winner Announced● Thanksgiving Recipes
• Foxwoods Shows Its Appreciation to the Military
• $1,000,000 “Drive in Style” Car and Cash Sweepstakes
Dec. 18, 2009 – 4th Issue; Holiday 2009/2010; 15 pages long; 59 photos & images; 154 megabytes
• William Flanagan Wins PRIDE Award ● Citrone Family Tree Comes to Foxwoods for All to Enjoy
• Gingerbread Village in Rainmaker Square ● MGM’s Grand Centeal Lounge Overflows with Star Power
• Holiday Décor Tour of Foxwoods and MGM ● Rachel’s the Biggest Winner!
• Magic Man Brings Smiles to Team Members ● Cirque Holidaze Finishes a Successful Run
• Delicious Thanksgiving Pies for Sale ● Thank You To Our Holiday Heroes!
• A Photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus at MGM! ● Enjoying Tasty Food in the Lion’s Den
• The Roar is Back!
Archive copies of previous
editions are available! Go green
and bring in your USB Flash Drive
and Newsletter Editor-in-Chief
Corey Sipe can copy the
newsletters, including this one,
on to your disk. Because the files
are large, due to all the photos,
it is recommended you have at
least 1 GB available. E-mail
csipe@foxwoods.com with any
questions.
Come spin the
wheel with
Isaac Yates at
the Big E.
Photo by Corey
Sipe.
Our newsletter’s name
was inspired by Leo the
Lion in front of the MGM
Grand Theater who let
out a big “ROAR!” as I
stared at him! Photo By
Corey Sipe.
Ed Lowe sells pies outside
the Lion’s Den to help
the MPTN Season of
Giving campaign. Photo
by Corey Sipe
(L-R) William Flanagan with Santa and
Mrs. Claus where, according to the Dec.
25 to Jan.8 2 of A Kind, 8,063 turkeys
were given out to MGM and Foxwoods
team members with 633 of those being
donated to four local food shelters.
Photo by Corey Sipe.
Jean Brown, Walter Lee, William Flanagan,
Bogdan Magnoski, and Isaac Yates attend a PRIDE
award luncheon. Photo by Corey Sipe.
Rachel Posillo works out
at the G-Spa. Photo by
Jean Brown.
The stuffed Leo and baby Leo were sold at Grand
Effects, not furious at all! Photo by Corey Sipe.

William Flanagan Sets a Higher 5 Star Standard
William Flanagan/MGM Dream Rewards
"Help your Team mates", "Work together", "Help each
other", smiles Dream Rewards Assistant Manager William
Flanagan on a consistent daily basis. But sometimes
hearing this is not as effective as watching these 'acts of
kindness' first hand. However, that's exactly what we all
got to do the first week of this New Year as Mr. Flanagan
filled in the schedule for those of us who took ill among
other things. William worked day and night and day again
covering every shift to ensure our loyal patrons got the 5
Star Service they've come to expect from MGM and
Foxwoods. His gracious sense of humor never waivered,
his generosity was bottomless and his exhaustion level
was over the top. But being the role model we've all
come to love and admire, Mr. Flanagan never showed
signs of ware. Instead he made his exit from the Dream
Rewards Booth extending his hand for a good night hand
shake to each and every rep thanking them for their hard
work. Then "Wampum Willie" (as those near and dear to
him so affectionately call this man) rode into the sunset
only to return again the next day with a smile bigger than
the day before hats off to this fine 5 Star Leader. You
make it easy for us to love our jobs. Thank you from all of
us.
The MGM Dream Team
Snow Storm Saviors
Diane Skidmore, Ken Mello, William Flanagan plus
Marketing/Promotions
MGM Grand at Foxwoods
Hats off to people like Diana Skidmore, Ken Mello and
William Flanagan who stayed while our patrons played
during the recent blizzard. These three arrived at work
ready to be snowed in with an overnight bag in hand.
They worked for those who could not get here and were
able to keep up our 5-Star Standards while the rest of us
were snowed in. The next day there were more heroes
like Walter Lee, Isaac Yates, Edward Lowe and John
Kenyon who somehow found a way to get here. Then
there were those like Rosalyn Ombajin and Tim
Sutherland who worked longer than they should have and
braved the blizzard going home. I was lucky enough to
watch the magic first hand and believe me it was
inspirational. Thank goodness everyone got home safely.
Great Team Work by all.
Jean Brown/ MGM Dream Rewards Supervisor
Magic Man and Miss
Magic remind us to
make Moments of
Magic by recycling
our cans, glass, and
bottles at the new
recycling bins
located throughout
the property. Photo
Courtesy of Glenn
Potter.
MGM Marketing
Department’s
Moments of Magic
Rachel Posillo to the Rescue
Rachel Posillo/MGM Dream Rewards
We were short handed this past weekend on Grave at the
Dream Rewards booth and Rachel Posillo did what few
would ever attempt. She came to work at 3 am Sunday
morning to help hold down the fort. Rachel, you are 5 Star
all the way. What a generous act of kindness on your part.
Your efforts made an amazing difference to the hosts on
duty, not to mention the pits and our loyal patrons. They
were all so happy to have you come in. MGM Assistant
Manager of Dream Rewards William Flanagan was 'singing
your praises' for you’re above and beyond commitment. You
set an example for the rest of us. Thank you so very much
from the many whose night you made better and from
those you were kind enough to replace. You are a 5-Star
leader.
Jean Brown/MGM Dream Rewards Supervisor
Private shopping after hours for VIP
Tim Sutherland/MGM Exec Host &
Lisa Terrain/MGM Asst Retail Mgr.
MGM Marketing & Retail
Late on Thursday evening around 2 am a VIP couple stood
fixated on the Panache Shop window sizing up all the
wonderful treats inside when along came Executive Host
Tim Sutherland to inquire about their needs. As they spoke
you could see the gentleman pointing to a fine designer bag
in the store. Mr. Sutherland swiftly departed only to return
moments later with Assistant Retail Manager Lisa Terrain
from Grand Effects and Host Rosalyn Ombajin to assist. The
shop was opened and the buying began; $100, $200, $300
and on it went. This unassuming patron said, "This is
Excellent, Beyond Excellent!!!" when asked about his
personal shopping experience he said "Tim is very good at
giving me special treatment. Two weeks ago I came here to
buy a Rolex, I couldn't find Tim so I was not as fortunate
and ended up buying one in Boston to the tune of $40,000."
They spent an estimated $2,000 during this trip. Lisa was
amazing thinking out of the box to assist the enthusiastic
shoppers. Rosalyn rolled up her sleeves and helped as well.
What incredible 5 Star Teamwork. It was an adventure to
remember. Congrats to everyone who made it happen!
Jean Brown/MGM Dream Rewards Supervisor
GO GREEN!!
Happy Presidents Day from
the ROAR Newsletter Staff!
Customer Service Recovery Steps:
Hear and Understand
Emphastize and Elicit Information
Apologize
Resolve the Problem
Thank the Customer

P
My Car is Snowed
In on the
Weekend before
Christmas!
MGM Executive Casino Host Timothy Sutherland shares
with us a photo of his children; Julianna, 6, and Jarrett,
9, next to a snowman they made on Christmas Eve.
A line of shoppers wait to enter the Pandora store on
Christmas Eve 2009, left, while a couple gets their Pandora
purchase gift wrapped by a sales associate right. Pandora
was one of the most successful retail stores at MGM Grand
at Foxwoods this past holiday season. Long lines were seen
at the store between Thanksgiving and Christmas It is one
of the few Pandora Concept Stores in the country and the
only one in Connecticut. It first opened May 23, 2009 across
from the MGM Dream Rewards booth. Photo by Tamra Foss.
Christmas Eve Memories
Santa Leo (the Lion) greeted Christmas visitors to the MGM Grand
at Foxwoods. Photo by Corey Sipe.
Even a Minor Setback Can Lead To a Win
Merry
Christmas
from Leo
18 inches of snow fell on the night of Dec. 19 causing our team
members to get snowed in! Special thanks to all those who worked
throughout the night and to those who dug out and came to work
the next day! Photo by Corey Sipe.
Here is a picture of MGM Executive Casino Host Timothy Sutherland’s
youngest boys, (from L-R, Mikey age 6, Timmy age 8 and Jarrett age
9). They are each holding their pinewood derby cars which they
handcrafted themselves. When they arrived at the race they didn’t
realize that there was a weight limit and each of their cars was too
light. After making last minute modifications with a few pennies and
some glue, Timmy's car came in "first" place and he won a trophy as
well as an opportunity to advance to the finals in Colchester in March.
It was a Cub Scout event which takes place annually first by troop then
nationally. Their troop is 67 and located in Oakdale Ct. Photo Courtesy
of Tim Sutherland.

and not pass them off to the next co-worker or host.”
“Diana has reinvented the word multi-tasking,” adds
Executive Host Maureece McDermott, known to all as
Candy. “She gives her co-workers and patrons 300%. She
really supports the team and takes care of her fellow
hosts at work and beyond. It’s amazing how much she
contributes given the unique demands she faces outside
of work.” But Ms. Skidmore’s passions go way beyond the
MGM borders and spill into her South County community
with her endless devotion to Special Olympics and her
fundraising for this vital organization. “My work with
Special Olympics, doing major fundraising events and
working with my very special and talented athletes gives
me great satisfaction,” affirms Diana. But we all know
that Rome wasn’t built in a day. It took a lot of stepping
stones to become an MGM host and a community
fundraising champ with such passion.
Diana started her career at a consulting company
in the Computer Entry Division and ended as the Personal
Assistant to the Vice President. She then became a
Personnel Director where Ms. Skidmore developed more
of her inspiring people skills doing interviews and hiring.
From there, Diana was intrigued with working on camera
for the television network QVC. She went through
powerful training to become a Guest Host for QVC. That
spot on QVC gave her the drive she needed to come and
knock on Foxwoods door step two and a half years ago.
“I was driving by this beautiful hotel, it looked like a
castle and I thought I should check it out” exclaimed
Diana. She stopped at Eagle Park to apply for a job.
Within weeks Diana received a call back for a VIP position
in the Grand Pequot Hotel. After seven months as VIP
Representative, Ms. Skidmore won the Spirit Award at
Foxwoods. Shortly afterwards an MGM Grand position
opened up for Casino Services as a host. “I remember
when Cindy Hartung, an Executive Host at Foxwoods,
expressed to me that I should put in for the Host position.
It’s a learning experience that should not be passed up,”
declares Diana. “And I’m so glad I did.”
Diana was born in Germany and at the age of one
came to the United States. She was brought up in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Later in life Diana met her
husband, David, and helped raise his two beautiful
children. Diana and David then got involved with the
Foster Care System and joined their Board of Directors.
Diana I continued from page 1
They were foster parents to Leah from age one. By the
time Leah turned seven both Diana and her husband
surprised her with an adoption party at Disney. “I had to
fight for her every step of the way” averts Diana
remembering back. With foster care you have to work
hard to reunite the child with the family but with Leah
there was an instant connection. “I was in foster care to
change a life or two but Leah changed all our lives,”
Diana avows proudly. Leah’s special needs created a
desire for Diana to volunteer for the Special Olympics
where she participated in the State Games and then went
on to Nationals in swimming, with Leah being the
youngest team member. Not only did this Special
Olympian bring home several gold medals, she is rated
one of the best swimmers of her class in the United
States. “In Special Olympics we teach the kids that it is
not about the wins, but more about teamwork and doing
your personal best” asserts Ms. Skidmore. Diana’s passion
for the Special Olympics continued to grow and soon with
the help of the Mews Tavern owners she was able to
organize the second largest 5K road race fundraiser in
Rhode Island with over one thousand runners raising more
than $10,000 two years in a row for Special Olympics.
“My dream is to combine my passion for Special Olympics
and my work with the special needs population with the
magic and branding of MGM Grand. What a great marriage
it would be” avows Ms. Skidmore. The entire Skidmore
family is involved with Special Olympics and fundraising
including their son Austin who they adopted at birth.
“Austin has such compassion for his sister while at the
same time he is this typical American boy who loves
skateboarding and snowboarding,” states Diana. “He has
even recruited some of his friends to help us as
volunteers for our Special Olympics 5K Road Race. I’m so
proud of the young man he is becoming and the great
brother and role model he is for Leah.” At an early age,
Diana got both of her children involved in television and
film acting. She signed Leah and Austin up for the SAG
(Screen Actors Guild) which offered them many amazing
adventures as a family from small parts on the Sopranos
to many other shoots.
Being the host that she is, Diana knows that it
takes team work. “At MGM it’s the whole collaboration of
all the departments…pits, Hotel, Food and Beverage, the
Cage, Retail….there is such great camaraderie here for
MGM Casino Host Diana Skidmore (left) with the South County
Special Olympics team. Photo Courtesy of Diana Skidmore.
(L-R) MGM Executive
Host Ja’Neen Kirby,
MGM Executive Host
Kea Hicks, MGM Casino
Host Diana Skidmore,
MGM Executive Host
Maureece “Candy“
McDermott, and MGM
Casino Host Kim
Hitchcock. Photo
Courtesy of Diana
Skidmore.
Diana III Continued on page 16

P
New in 2009 and Coming in 2010!
1 2 3 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
ACROSS
1. New Jewelry store without walls along
the Great Cedar Concourse
6. New Clothing and Accessories store in
MGM
7. New Jewelry store in MGM featuring
charms
8. Former BB King Dance Club Slated to
Become a Comedy Club
9. Under Construction in the GPT Hotel
Lobby at the former VIP desk
10. New Chocolate Store off the MGM
Skywalk
DOWN
1. New Mexican restaurant and bar
featuring dancers
2. Restaurant reopened with expanded
buffet
3. 24 New Table Games Were Added Here
4. Will Rebrand the Grand Salon and Spa in
Grand Pequot Tower
5. New Players Lounge That Was Added
Near the Poker Room
Congratulations to our 2009 MGM Grand at Foxwoods Casino Marketing
PRIDE Award Winners!
MGM Dream Rewards Assistant Manager William Flanagan
(left) holds his PRIDE Award plaque while MGM Casino Host
Vasiliki “Betty” Lehto and MGM Marketing Representative
Walter Lee (right) are pictured in front of the signature
MGM Grand at Foxwoods logo across from the MGM Dream
Rewards desk. Photos by Corey Sipe.
40th
ANNIVERSARY
OF EARTH DAY
On April 22nd
,
MGM Grand at
Foxwoods and
Foxwoods Resort
Casino will join
one billion people
in 174 countries to
celebrate the 40th
Anniversary of
Earth Day. Look
forward to a
special countdown
in Two of a Kind,
FoxNet, and ROAR
saluting team
members and
departments
helping to make a
difference!
GO GREEN!
Let’s help make
MGM Grand at
Foxwoods and
Foxwoods Resort
Casino the most
“green” casino in
the world!
Did You
Know?
February is
Black
History
Month
Did You Know?
The largest
Groundhog Day
celebration is in
Punxsutawney,
Pennsylvania
home of
Punxsutawney Phil
where up to
40,000 spectators
gather to find out
whether we will
have six more
weeks of winter or
an early spring.
Legend has it that
if the groundhog
sees its shadow,
winter will end
soon.
Feb 13 to Mar 31
Sunset Ballroom
Great Cedar Hotel
Lobby
Did you
know?
* Mardi
Gras is on
Tuesday,
Feb. 16
* Ash
Wednesday
is on Feb.
17

MGM GRAND THEATERMGM GRAND THEATERMGM GRAND THEATERMGM GRAND THEATER
America’s Got Talent with host Jerry Springer
Sun: 1/31, 2/7 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.;
Wed-Fri: 2/3-2/5; 7 p.m.;
Sat: 1/30, 2/6; 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
$25/$35/$69
Neustra Musica Presents: A Special Evening with
Victor Manuelle “Yo Mismo” Tour; Latin/Salsa
Sat., Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.; $58/$78
B.B. King and Buddy Guy; Black History Month; R&B;
Valentine’s Day; Sun., Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.;
$40/$50/$60
Mr. Dave Wang & Ms. Lui Shan and Musicians and
Dancers; Chinese Show; Chinese New Year
Sun., Feb. 20 at 2 a.m. and 2 p.m.; $68, $98, $128
Michael Jackson: This it; Movie; Private Event
Sat., Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.
Steve Harvey Treat Your Mouth Out Comedy Tour
Sat. Feb. 27 at 8 p.m.; $30, $40, $55
FOX THEATERFOX THEATERFOX THEATERFOX THEATER
MPTN Giving Campaign Tournament; Emp. Bingo
Wed., Feb. 10 at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., & 8:15 p.m.
Doo Wopp Show
Vandellas, The Contours, Shep’s Limelites, The
Persuasions, The Legendary Jesters and Harvey
Robbins Royalty of Rock ‘n Roll All-Stars
Sat., Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.; $49/$59
Love & Laughter Comedy Show and Concert
Featuring Jagged Edge; R&B; Valetine’s Day
Sun., Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.; $50/$75
The Wonder of It All Theme Song Competition
Sat., Feb. 27 at 8 p.m.; FREE
MGMMGMMGMMGM PREMIERE BALLROOMPREMIERE BALLROOMPREMIERE BALLROOMPREMIERE BALLROOM
Tasos Bougas and Kiss Madiam; Russian Show
Sat., Feb. 20 at 4 p.m.; Price TBA
Fares Karam and Haifa Wehbe; Lebanese Show
Sat., Feb. 27 at 9 p.m.
$85, $120, $150, $200, $250, $300
SUNSET BALLROOMSUNSET BALLROOMSUNSET BALLROOMSUNSET BALLROOM –––– GREAT CEDAR HOTELGREAT CEDAR HOTELGREAT CEDAR HOTELGREAT CEDAR HOTEL
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Feb. 13 to June 13
Sun.-Thurs., 10am-8pm; Fri & Sat., 10am-10pm
Last tickets sold one hour before closing
$20 adult/$15 child/$5 audio tour
Employee Appreciation Days; Feb. 13-27
98th Anniversary of Titanic; Apr. 14-15
Making Our Younger Guests Feel Welcome!
In an effort to make our guests of all ages feel welcome,
MGM Dream Rewards Marketing Representative Walter
Lee offers a blank Dream Card to children after asking
their parents or guardians if it’s okay.
Each time, the adult’s face lights up and so does the
child’s! When asked what it is, Mr. Lee explains it is a toy
and encourages them to “work hard in school” with his
signature smile.
The card serves as a free souvenir with the Foxwoods and
MGM Grand at Foxwoods logos on the back with our
website addresses.
Let’s follow Walter’s lead and create Moments of Magic
not only for children, but for those caring for them!
Do you have a unique way of showing our customers you
care? E-mail csipe@foxwoods.com.
IT’SIT’SIT’SIT’S SHOWTIME!SHOWTIME!SHOWTIME!SHOWTIME!
How Do We Sell the Dream Card?
When customers ask “What does the Dream
Card get me,” what do we say?
“You are rewarded with an increasing amount of comps for
your loyal play. You start receiving points and it grows and
grows from there!” – MGM Dream Rewards Marketing
Representative John Kenyon
“Your card entitles you to make hotel and restaurant
reservations that aren’t available to the general public.” –
MGM Dream Rewards Marketing Representative Edward
Lowe
“As you play you earn points and those points are equal to
dollars that you can spend in our shops, restaurants,
hotels, salon and spa, and box office; both here and at
Foxwoods next door.” - MGM Dream Rewards Marketing
Representative Corey Sipe
“The second you become a Dream Card member, you can
expect to save as much as $200 for a room at the MGM on
the weekends,” MGM Dream Rewards Supervisor Jean
Brown
“It’s the rule of thumb at every casino to get a player card
plus you don’t want to miss out on any promotions you
earn!...A Dream Card is not only FREE but will save you $
and get you free promotions in the long run!...You’ll be a
part of the best gaming reward program in the U.S. and it
costs you nothing!” MGM Dream Rewards Marketing
Representative Chanthavisuk “Nou” Singharaj
“I want you to earn rewards and by getting a Dream Card
you are rewarded with points that turn into dollars and may
be used at any of our fine stores, restaurants, hotel, and or
spa treatments.” MGM Casino Host Diane Skidmore.
Improving Our Service…

P
PROMOTIONSPROMOTIONSPROMOTIONSPROMOTIONS
January Birthday Food Coupons; Feb. 1-28; Invited;
Patrons should take coupon to restaurant; if you need
to reprint comment account.
Morning Perks Offer Feb. (M-F, 6a-9a); See above.
SPECIAL EVENTSSPECIAL EVENTSSPECIAL EVENTSSPECIAL EVENTS
$15,000 Daily Slot Tournament; Rainmaker Casino
Mon-Tues., Feb. 1-2; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Invited, RSVP
Platinum Member Dunhill Wallet Gift Event; Invited
Fri., Feb. 5; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Grand Ballroom
Diamond Elite Food and Wine Event; GPT Mezz Level
Sat., Feb. 6; 7 p.m.; Invited
Diamond Elite Super Bowl Party; Grand Ballroom
Sun., Feb. 7; 5 p.m.; Invited
Mid End Big Game Party; Premiere Ballroom
Sun., Feb. 7; 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Invited, RSVP
$25-$25,000 Luck of the Draw; Grand Ballroom
Mon.-Wed., Feb. 8, 9, 10; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Invited
Mega Stack Challenge XV
Foxwoods Poker Room; Feb. 9 to 15
Employee Blackjack Tournament; Grand Ballroom
MPTN Giving Campaign, Wed., Feb 10
Semi-Finals and Finals; Thurs., Feb. 11
Anniversary Double Bonus Slot Play; Fri., Feb. 12
Iluv Ipod Gift Event; Grand Ballroom
Sat., Feb. 13; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Invited, RSVP
$300,000 Presidents Day Cash Celebration
Sun.-Mon., Feb. 14-15; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Must swipe
at kiosk or play slots, tables, poker, keno, or bingo.
One $5,000 winner every 30 min 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.,
one $50,000 winner at 8 p.m.
Foxwoods 18th Anniv. Cake Cutting Celebration
Mon., Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.; Cedar Restaurant Square
$25-$25,000 Mystery Bonus Slot Play; Tues., Feb. 16
$50-$25,000 Luck of the Draw; Grand Ballroom
Fri., Feb. 19; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Invited
Diamond Elite Di Modolo Gift Giveaway; Grand
Ballroom; Sat., Feb 20; 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Supplemental Bonus Slot Play; Sat.-Mon., Feb. 20-22
$10,000 Daily Slot Tournament; Rainmaker Casino
Mon.-Th. Feb. 22-25; 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Invited, RSVP
Employee Poker Tournament; Rainmaker Casino
MPTN Giving Campaign, Tues., Feb. 23
Semi-Finals and Finals; Wed., Feb. 24
Riches of Egypt Slot Tournament; Grand Ballroom
$50K; Fri., 2/26 & Sat., 2/27, $100K; Sat., 2/27 &
Sun., 2/28; Includes Dinner, Breakfast, Door Prizes;
Invited; RSVP
HOTEL PACKAGES AT MGMHOTEL PACKAGES AT MGMHOTEL PACKAGES AT MGMHOTEL PACKAGES AT MGM
$229 G-Relax Package - Deluxe Room at the MGM
Grand plus 25 Min Escape Massage, Mini Revitalizing
Facial, Choice of Quench Manicure OR Hair Wash &
Style, G Spa Day Pass* (*Indoor Pool, Fitness Center,
Sauna, Steam, Waterfall Jacuzzi, Robes, Slippers &
Amenities) Packages available Mon-Thurs only and
based on availability. Valid 1/4/10 - 4/29/10.
$269 G Relax Spa Package with Lunch - Package
Includes – MGM Deluxe Room plus 25 Min Escape
Massage, Mini Revitalizing Facial, Choice of Quench
Manicure OR Hair Wash & Style, G Spa Day Pass Lunch
for Two at G-Spa ($40 value) Packages available
Mon-Thurs only and based on availability. Valid
1/4/10 – 4/29/10.
$499 (Su-Th) or $599 (Fri-Sat) G Revive Spa Package
Includes MGM Director's Suite plus Choice of 50 Min
Original Splurge Massage OR 50 Min Spa Signature
Facial; Quench Manicure, Quench Pedicure, Makeup
Application, Dinner at Craftsteak ($100 value)
Packages Sun through Sat and based on availability.
Valid 1/4/10 – 4/30/10.
For more events go to Foxwoods Today

(L-R) Jean Brown, Tamra Foss, Walter Lee, and Chanthavisuk “Nou” Singharaj
at the Jan. 19 PRIDE Award Ceremony after enjoying a delicious lunch. Photo
by Corey Sipe.
PRIDE I continued from page 1
face.
Ask any MGM Dream Reward Representative and
they will tell you Corey Sipe is passionate. He has
discovered, through his massive contribution to The
ROAR, new and creative ways to go above and beyond
his job description. His willingness to help write, lay-
out and edit a monthly Newsletter has made a
significant contribution to the entire MGM Marketing &
Promotions Departments and then some. By doing so,
he has created a personal opportunity for each and
every team member to experience the PRIDE values
through this creative forum.
One key to winning the PRIDE Award is having
and showing respect. “Respect is something that Corey
has for sure,” states PRIDE Award Nomination Author
Tamra Foss. “He is the ideal man to have as a friend
and co-worker. He would give you the shirt off his
back. When the snow season comes he is always the
one to count on to risk his well being to come to work
when others cannot. He always has a bag packed in car
to stay over night so that no team mates have to come
in for their shift.”
The ROAR by mere definition goes above and
beyond to promote the entire Foxwoods property in a
way only Corey, a true perfectionist, could accomplish.
His constant bidding to his teammates to write, grab a
camera, share a story or a tale is example enough that
his heart and soul is dedicated to helping his
department and in turn his co-workers. When helping
customers at Dream Rewards, Ms. Foss said, “He seems
to have a way to pull patrons back again and again.”
The electronic nature of this newsletter as a ‘green’
venture saves the company money while building team
spirit.
Its culturally diverse content is a blueprint that
incorporates the vast international diversity of the
people who make up the Promotions and Marketing
Departments. “If Corey runs into a point where he
can’t satisfy a patron’s needs he will go out of the way
to find a co-worker that speaks their language so that
the patron feels appreciated and special,” Ms. Foss
explains.
And last but not least his enthusiasm speaks for
itself. Read The ROAR and you cannot escape Corey’s
enthusiasm for writing, editing and engaging his co-
workers in his endless pursuit for the perfect story. “I
am actually excited to see Corey come in everyday
because he always comes in with those pearly whites
showing!” Foss proclaims. “It is truly an honor to win the
PRIDE Award,” smiled Mr. Sipe pride fully. “I would like to
thank everyone for their support and encouragement
including our department's previous PRIDE Award
recipients: William Flanagan, Walter Lee, and Betty Lehto.
I received a standing ovation when coming to work on Jan.
8 from our Retail Staff, Marketing Representatives, Casino
Hosts, and William. There are few workplaces that show
their appreciation to their team members like MGM Grand
at Foxwoods and Foxwoods Resort Casino.”
But, just who is the man behind the scenes putting
The ROAR together day and night? Will the real Corey Sipe
please stand up? Without reading a word he’s written you
first have to know that Corey is a dedicated scribe with an
endless thirst for news but there’s a lot more that you
don’t know about this very dedicated former 2006
Foxwoods Spirit Award Recipient. The ROAR Editor-in-Chief
Corey Sipe, an MGM Dreams Rewards Rep., is a college
educated journalist with two degrees from Eastern
Connecticut State. He has a Bachelor of Science in
Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
He got his feet wet reporting on stories for The Villager, a
small newspaper covering the community of Thompson, Ct.
population 10,000. His assignments ranged anywhere from
local high school sports, public education, town
government, breaking news and feature stories.
What type of news is his favorite? “I like covering
Town Government because there are different players
involved with projects and you can connect the dots from
start to finish. Thompson is a town on the Massachusetts
border that put a lot of energy trying to prevent large
development. People in the town wanted to preserve its
rural character and encourage small businesses to thrive.”
states Mr. Sipe, “But our mission here at MGM’s The ROAR
Newsletter is more focused on our employees. We want to
cover positive news about what our employees are doing at
work and play to make improvements in their day to day
work habits, the Casino and in our communities. We have a
lot of untold stories like the profiles we did last month on
Rachel Posillo and Edward Lowe. And this month we are
featuring Diana Skidmore, Host and Service Champion who
has dedicated herself not only to her job as host, but as a
Special Olympics volunteer leader in her community.”
So far Mr. Sipe, with the help of Mr. Flanagan, Jean
PRIDE III continued to page 13
The ROAR Editor-
in-Chief Corey
Sipe views the
front page of the
Dec. 15 to Jan. 15
The ROAR
Newsletter on a
Dream Rewards
computer in the
MGM Grand at
Foxwoods. Photo
by Jean Brown.

P
PRIDE III continued from page 12
Brown, and the general oversight of Roberta James-
Brown has produced the lion’s share of The ROAR
working in between servicing customers at the MGM
Dream Rewards Booth and on his free time at home.
“Corey is the mild mannered man behind The ROAR,”
adds Mr. Flanagan who made the appointment. “Corey's
education, prior work history, and his ‘Clark Kent’ like
personality made him an obvious choice for the job.” But
it’s a very big job that this Editor-In-Chief knows cannot
be done alone. “We are excited about Rachel Posillo
joining us as photographer and writer,” states Sipe. “You
will see her stories in this month’s issue. She is learning
the tricks of the trade on the job and she’s really
enjoying writing for us.” But the Newsletter needs more
hands to write and take photographs. “We want to get
more people involved writing stories for us and taking
photos. Until now it’s been me and Jean Brown writing
most of the stories. Since we are a 24/7 operation it’s
helpful to have people from all the different shifts so we
get a better idea what’s happening within our
departments across Foxwoods. And we will accept
volunteers with no former experience. In the past we had
Foxwoods Spirit Newspaper. I enjoyed reading about
other departments,” adds Mr. Sipe. “I found it really
helped me to understand the needs and demands of these
department employees and it’s helpful when interacting
with other departments. Last month we did a profile on
the MGM Grand Central Lounge with Edward Lowe. We
discovered how Edward learned the VIP Business through
his VIP Pequot Hotel experience. After reading about
Edward I felt I was better equipped to resolve VIP issues
more in synch with VIP standards.”
In 2005 Mr. Sipe worked for the Pictorial Gazette in
Old Saybrook, Ct. as a freelancer. “I learned that I really
liked to dig for news, but the process is the same for The
ROAR,” explains Mr. Sipe. “We have to dig for stories, then
be persistent to get the interviews and information we
need in order to meet our deadline. It’s a lot of work but it
also very rewarding. I get excited when I hear people want
to get involved. Rachel is a prime example. She started by
taking a photo or two which lead to a short story which we
decided should be on the front page and the rest is history.
For this issue Rachel has taken on two full stories. One is a
profile piece on MGM Host Diana Skidmore (page 1) and the
other is a department news story about cross training into
the Box Office Department.” “When Rachel volunteered to
write for us I was absolutely elated,” adds Jean Brown, The
ROAR Newsletter Manager, “She knows I will help her as
will Corey and Mr. Flanagan. We’ll be there every step of
the way from asking the appropriate questions to the actual
writing of the finished piece. We’re taking everything one
step at a time, but I’m confident Rachel will fly on her own
very shortly once she learns some of the tricks of the
reporting trade. Her last story on the Citrone Family Trains
setup for the holiday display in Rainmaker was great. She’s
got the will, the passion and the talent. What more can you
ask for? ”
Where did the name The ROAR come from? “Well
I’m very proud of our Lion, next to the MGM Grand
Theater” smiles Sipe. “The built-in motion sensor makes
him roar. I wanted a name that was synonymous with ‘a
voice’ our employee voice. The ROAR is perfect.” He will
admit it is an adjustment to go from hard news to positive
profiles but the rewards are just as great. “Doing a real
news story can create controversy and people react
negatively which can create stress. With The ROAR it’s all
positive news. Sometimes it’s hard to get people to talk
about themselves but with a little encouragement and help
we get the job done. I’m sure people will become more
PRIDE Award winners for December 2009 and January 2010 gather for a group
shot with Executive Director of Hotel Operations and Shared Services Jason
Guyot after the Jan. 19 PRIDE Awards Ceremony. Photo by Jamal Brooks.
(L-R) Jean Brown
gives a speech at
the Jan. 19 PRIDE
Awards Ceremony
with MGM Dream
Rewards
Marketing Rep.
Service Champion
Tamra Foss and
PRIDE Award
Winner Corey
Sipe looking on.
Photo by Jamal
Brooks.
Dream Rewards
Marketing Rep.,
Service Champion,
and PRIDE Award
Nomination Author
Tamra Foss (right)
explains that PRIDE
Award Winner and
The ROAR Editor-in-
Chief Corey Sipe is
“the ideal man to
have as a friend and
co-worker.” Photo
by Walter Lee.
PRIDE IV Continued on page 15

< Mashantucket Pequot
Tribal Nation Chairman
Rodney Butler thanked
PRIDE award winners for
their dedication. Photo by
Jamal Brooks.
(L-R) Jean Brown, Tamra Foss, Corey Sipe, William
Flanagan, Walter Lee, and Jason Guyot pose for a group
shot in MGM Premiere Ballroom H. Photo by Jamal
Brooks.
Corey Sipe stands next to the MGM
lion after the PRIDE Award
Ceremony. The lion was the
inspiration for The ROAR
newsletter’s name. Photo by Jean
Brown.
Gillian
Murphy, who
helped open
MGM Grand
at Foxwoods
as General
Manager in
May 2008,
now holds
the tile of
Senior VP of
Resort Sales.
She came to
congratulate
PRIDE award
winners.
Photo by
Walter Lee.
Mashantucket
Pequot
Gaming
Enterprise
President
Michael
Speller
enjoys his
lunch while
watching
supervisors
praise PRIDE
award
recipients.
Photo by
Corey Sipe.
^ Corey Sipe,
(right), Jean
Brown,
(center), and
Tamra Foss,
(left), load
their plates
full of
delicious
food. Photo
by Jamal
Brooks.
Jason Guyot explains that PRIDE
award recipients help make MGM
Grand at Foxwoods a special place
for our customers and team
members. Photo by Jamal
Brooks.
MGM Marketing Representative Corey Sipe thanks the
MGM Casino Marketing Department for their support and
the executive team for showing their appreciation to
PRIDE award recipients. Photo by Jamal Brooks.
Photo Collage of the Jan. 19 MGM PRIDE Award Ceremony
Passion
Respect
Initiative
Diversity
Enthusiasm
Photo by Corey
Sipe.

P
New Hyperlinks in Newsletter!
These allow easy access for article continuations and to
access promotions and theater information directly from
the page 1 masthead. Drag your cursor on underlined text,
click on it, and then press CTRL.
forthright as time goes on and they see how careful we are
with our profiles. They will eventually learn they can trust us.
Another important element is that I think we can counteract
any negative news in the local newspapers regarding the
Casino with the positive news we find and print about our
employees and all their hard work here and at home.
Remember there are 10,000 employees that are at risk of
being insulted when a newspaper carelessly puts a needless
negative slant on a Foxwoods story. We are a strong voice, all
10 thousand of us, and I know together we can turn these
negatives into a positive for all to see. The ROAR is us doing
our part to counter the negative.”
Mr. Sipe notes that not every newspaper fits into this
stereotype. “I worked for The Resident Newspaper that
covers southeastern Connecticut and northwestern Rhode
Island. The paper's focus was focusing on the positive stories
of the community and each edition had personal profiles and
stories about how the casinos, banks, and other
businesses are constantly helping our communities. In fact,
the newspaper used the slogan ‘All the Good News That's Fit
to Print.’”
He is confident that The ROAR's focus on positive
stories at Foxwoods and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods will help
us understand each other, appreciate our differences, and
move forward in making our Resort Casino the best place to
work.
Mr. Sipe encourages all departments to submit
positive stories and MOM (Moments of Magic) for The ROAR.
“There are success stories everywhere you look. Take
Pandora which just opened up at MGM Grand. They have had
a line out the door for weeks! What a great sign when the
economy is at risk. It’s a great success story,” adds Sipe
emphatically!
The ROAR is available to list all your birthdays and
anniversaries (at work and at home) but this can only be
accomplished if people take the time to share this
information. “I got the Crossword puzzle idea from Tamra
Foss, one of our MGM Dream Rewards Service Champions,”
smiles Mr. Sipe.
The actual production of the Newsletter has been an
unbelievable challenge since Mr. Sipe has designed its layout
in Microsoft Word, the only software available presently.
“To be honest, I was skeptical that a Newsletter could be
published in Word as this program really isn’t designed for
this type of application, but Corey stuck with it and in my
opinion he basically has accomplished the impossible,” adds
Ms. Brown. “Mr. Sipe’s finesse and tenacity has made it
work wonders for now.” “I’ve purchased new software for
my home computer that I’m teaching myself,” continues
Sipe, “its Adobe Photoshop Essentials which will help with
the clarity of the photos. So part of this newsletter has
incorporated Photoshop but the text is Microsoft Word.
These changes are basically unnoticeable to the reader but
will enhance the product.”
“So for any budding reporters and photographers
out there, please don’t be shy. Jean Brown or myself will
work with you and help you every step of the way. Just give
us a shout or send us an email. This Newsletter is designed
to be for you and about you and your Department. We can
do an even better job with your help and a little of your
time,” concludes the mild mannered Mr. Sipe. “Just give us
five minutes and we’ll show you the world of creative
journalism MGM style.”
December 2009 and January 2010 PRIDE award winners stand on either side
of the MGM lion after the PRIDE Award Ceremony. As photos were taken, the
lion roared several times, no doubt showing his appreciation for all of the
hard work and dedication to PRIDE Award winners. Photo by Jamal Brooks.
(L-R) William Flanagan, November 2009 PRIDE Award Winner, and Corey
Sipe, January 2010 PRIDE Award Winner, pose for a photo after enjoying
a soda at the PRIDE Awards Ceremony Luncheon. Photo by Walter Lee.
(L-R) January 2010
PRIDE Award Winner
Corey Sipe and
October 2009 PRIDE
Award Winner
Walter Lee, pose for
a photo. Photo by
Jean Brown.
PRIDE IV Continued from page 13
HELP WANTED!
Enthusiastic team members with the desire to show their
PRIDE and take photos, write articles, submit
birthdays/anniversaries or proofread The ROAR Newsletter.
Questions? E-mail csipe@foxwoods.com.
Happy Chinese
New Year
Feb. 14, 2010
Year of the
Tiger

The line of guests waiting to order delicious
hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken to be washed down
with soda, milkshakes, or beer went out the door into the
hallway.
Almost every table was filled with folks enjoying
their first New Year’s Day of the New Decade.
Other restaurants which had extended hours on
New Year’s Eve included Al Dente serving until 10:30
p.m., Craftsteak with its last seating at 10:45 p.m., The
Grill at Two Trees Inn and Alta Strada at 11 p.m., Cedar
Steakhouse which served until 11:30 p.m., David Burke
Steakhouse and California Pizza Kitchen with food served
until 12 a.m., Golden Dragon which was open until 3
a.m., Noodles staying open until 6 a.m., and Veranda
Café which was open all night and even after the sun rose
on New Year’s Day.
Restaurants continued from page 2 RECYCLING CORNER
Working Hard to Preserve the Wonder of It All Here on
Earth!
What are Foxwoods and MGM Grand at Foxwoods doing to
Preserve the Wondrous Planet Earth?
We recycle everything from cardboard, pallets,
plastics, paper, metal, glass and much more!
We hold items for reuse by our vendors, like milk,
bread crates and kegs. These items are picked up by our
attendants from ALL departments, retail stores and
restaurants then brought to recycling.
Non-returnable bottles are brought to Foxwoods main
recycling and run through a glass crusher that turns the glass
into ash tray sand. The excess glass bottles are recycled
through Waste Management.
Foxwoods and MGM Grand at Foxwoods Environmental
Services Department remove 25 tons of plastic from the
waste stream annually by recycling 1-7 plastics! These
plastics can become fiberfill for winter coats, sweaters,
sleeping bags, and life jackets.
Solid waste or municipal solid waste from Foxwoods
Resort Casino & MGM Grand at Foxwoods is brought to a local
incinerator (not to local landfills) to become electricity!
MGM Grand at Foxwoods alone produces 894,661 KW-
hrs of electricity from recycling, to power 1,164 homes
annually!
We also recycle metal, cardboard and wood pallets.
This recycling helps to create roofing, siding, foods cans,
wood pellets (for home heating) paper towels, toilet paper,
even cat litter!
Information from
www.foxwoods.com/preservethewonder.aspx.
RECYCLING AT MGM DREAM REWARDS!
Dream Rewards Supervisor Jean Brown reports that
we have recycled over 5,000 Dream Cards in our first month!
Please continue to dispose of Dream Cards in the blue plastic
bins next to the trash bins. Be sure when you rove the Casino
floor and see Dream Cards in, on, or near slot machines to
bring them back to Dream Rewards and recycle them!
Encourage our colleagues from other departments to “Go
Green” by doing the same.
ENERGY CONSERVATION EFFORTS PAY OFF!
Senior Vice President of Resort Sales Gillian Murphy
reports in the Jan. 22 - Feb. 5 Two of a Kind that Foxwoods
and MGM Grand have used 5,875,378 less kilowatt hours
during the first quarter. That is more electricity than it takes
to heat 6,766 homes for the entire year!
HOW ARE YOU GOING GREEN?
Please share with The ROAR Newsletter what you do
at home to “Go Green” whether it’s reduced wattage light
bulbs, walking/biking to neighborhood businesses, recycling,
or driving a hybrid vehicle. Your responses can be published
in our next issue! E-mail csipe@foxwoods.com.
all of us, we all help each other and to be honest that’s
what makes the magic. I wouldn’t be what I am without
them. It’s a high stress environment and you can not be
successful without a solid team” emphasizes Diana. We
all know that with team work you become great friends.
As Ms. Skidmore adds “We’re friends… a team.” Diana is
greatly appreciated for all efforts she does at work on a
daily basis. As Vasiliki Lehto, MGM Casino Host, better
known to everyone as Betty, asserts “we all love her and
appreciate her as a friend and as a coworker.” Being a
casino host takes a lot of hard work along with
challenges. As Diana maintains “we know what our
numbers are and our goals. Our team has had a very
successful December which we can see, thanks to Tim
Sutherland’s new system of tracking us on spreadsheets,
so we are all supercharged for an even more successful
2010.”
Ms. Skidmore tries creating Moments of Magic
with every guest that steps through our doors, by making
sure these valuable patrons have a host no matter how
much they play and to insure they have a Five Star
experience here at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. “She
consistently seeks out new business for MGM Grand at
Foxwoods and Foxwoods Resort Casino,” asserts Tim
Sutherland a MGM Executive Casino Host. “She is very
thorough and takes pride in marketing all property events
with great enthusiasm. Her smile and demeanor has
created long lasting relationships and a strong customer
following, resulting in numerous repeat visits from
guests. We are very proud of Diana and happy that she is
part of our Team!” As Ms. Skidmore adds “It is so natural
for me to sell this property. Working at Foxwoods and
MGM Grand at Foxwoods you can be on the road to a
successful career if you put your mind to it,” concludes
Diana. “I feel I’ve been given a lot of opportunities here
and I know in my heart of hearts this is the perfect place
where I would like to grow and succeed.”
Diana III Continued from page 8
Happy Valentine’s Day From
The Staff at the ROAR!

P
Language Corner:
Spanish Translations Courtesy of Zunilda Wright
Italian, Portuguese, German, and French Translations
Courtesy of John Kenyon, Polish Translations Courtesy of
Bogdan Magonski, Laotian Translations Courtesy of
Chanthavisuk “Nou” Singharaj, thank you to all others for
their assistance including http://translate.reference.com.
English: Hi Spanish: Hola
French: Salut German: Hallo
Italian: Ciao Portuguese: Olá
Polish: Witaj Greek: Γειά
Laotian: Sabaidee Chinese: Neihow
Vietnamese: Chougotvei (Xin chào)
English: Welcome to MGM
Spanish: Bienvenido a MGM
French: bienvenue à la MGM
German: Willkommen zu MGM
Italian: Benvenuti alla MGM
Portuguese: Bem-vindo a MGM
Polish: Zapraszamy do MGM
Greek: Καλώς ήρθατε στην MGM
Chinese: Quining liedowe MGM
Vietnamese: Shimi lenlay MGM(hoan nghênh MGM)
English: Thank You Spanish: Gracias
French: Merci German: Danken
Italian: Grazie Portuguese: Obrigado
Polish: dziękuję Greek: σε ευχαριστώ
Laotian: Kop-chai Chinese: Shishi
Vietnamese: Gummon (c m ơn b n)
English: Good Luck Spanish: Buena Suerte
French: Bonne chance German: Viel Glück
Italian: Buona fortuna Polish: Powodzenia
Greek: καλή τύχη Laotian: Soa-Di-Der
Chinese: Howwen
Vietnamese: Dut (chúc may m n)
Magic Man Glenn Potter (far left) and Miss Magic Erin Thomas (far
right) recognize Gabriele Johnson (second right) for Moment of
Magic #3086 in Foxwoods Resort Casino. Johnson’s supervisor
Terry Chiaradio, Director of Poker (third right) is also pictured.
The Moment of Magic entitled “A Royal Flush” reads: “on
12/12/09 Gabriele Johnson, a day one employee, was talking with
a 5-10 stud player who has been coming here for the past 17
years. He jokingly told her that he still hasn't gotten a Royal Flush
Jacket. Gabriele, knowing that he is terminally ill, went to our
shift manager Mark and asked for a jacket for the patron. He was
so grateful for Gabriele's consideration. So thank you, Gabriele,
for being there for our loyal patrons and brightening this one's
day.” Nancy Perrotti 039802, Poker
Celebrating a Moment of Magic!
Congratulations to all of the 2009 MGM Grand at
Foxwoods PRIDE Award and Foxwoods Five Star Service
Award Winners:
Jose Graciano, MGM Table Games, Shift Manager
Marilyn Contreras, MGM Count Room, Count Room Supervisor
Vasilika “Betty” Lehto, MGM Marketing Host
Sam Hudson, MGM ESD, Interior Attendant
Manishkumar M. Zalavadiya, Grand Effects, Sales Consultant
Bjorn Harsh, MGM Front Desk, Front Desk Agent
Walter H. Lee, MGM Dream Rewards, Marketing Representative
Mary Ellen Rydell, MGM Human Resources, Sr. H.R. Assistant
William Flanagan, Dream Rewards Assistant Manager
Samuel Stephanos, MGM ESD Supervisor
Cliff Perry, MGM Table Games Pit Manager
Jessy Babcock, Meetings Concierge
Jeffrey Malloy, Jr., Lion’s Den Cook
Diane Shockley, MGM Cage Cashier
Thye Yin Chen, ESD Interior Attendant
Kimberly Desbonnet, Slot Attendant
Mary Fisher, Grand Effects, Assistant Retail Manger
Shad McCrae, Entertainment, Lighting Technician
Vickie Ware, Retail, Sales Consultant
Mario DiBiagio, Retail Assistant Manager
Jason Morgan, Banquet Manager
John Weisbecker, Casino Accounting Operations Manager
Ayanna Adams, Promotions Marketing Representative
Jeffrey Braslavsky, Transportation Limo Chauffeur
Jamal Brooks, Communications Camera Operator
Beverly Dyment, Casino Accounting Operations Cashier
Heidi Gordon, Room Service Server
Ryan Hollis, Beverage Barporter II
Steve Reil, MIS Systems Engineer
Martin Tremmel, Sidewalk Café Busperson
Michael Vongphosy, Poker Dealer
William Wendland II, Valet Parking Attendant
Brian Desbonnet, Finance Count Room Shift Manager
Elva Souza, Housekeeping Supervisor
David Fortier, Marketing Casino Host
Joshua Jordan, Hotel Operations Bell Captain
David Payne, Uniforms Attendant
Richard Pont, Transportation Traffic Controller
Carlee Welsh, Pequot Academy Senior Training Representative
Betty Ann Conroy, Table Games Floor Supervisor
Mary Wisniewski, Credit Department Supervisor
Phil Bonomo, Security Officer
Jennifer Gilman, Retail Coordinator
Karen Hess, Slot Operations Attendant
Marilyn Lovejoy, Bus Marketing Associate
Charlene Petrone, Race Book Writer
Glenn Potter, Pequot Academy Training Specialist
John Seyster, CAO Countroom Clerk

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